In a lop-sided game, NorthEast United FC defeated Delhi Dynamos FC 2-1 in an all-important encounter for the Highlanders. Nelo Vingada’s side were on the offensive from the word go and controlled proceedings well throughout the game. In the away encounter, Delhi Dynamos looked a little tired after playing their second game in just three days.
The home team scored twice in the second half, with goals from Seityasen Singh and Romaric winning the three points for the Highlanders. In a must-win game for NEUFC, the team looked compact in defence and restricted the ever-attacking Delhi side at bay for most of the game. Brazilian winger Marcelinho got one back for the visitors in injury time, giving a little consolation to the Lions.
Here are the five takeaways from the game.
#1 Lalchawnkima looks vulnerable in the Delhi backline
The Delhi backline has been compact more often than not, with the ever-assured Ruben Gonzalez and Anas Edathodika marshalling the goal. Right back Lalchawnkima, though, has looked vulnerable throughout the tournament. The Mizoram defender has made some grave mistakes throughout the journey this season and made another one on Wednesday evening.
Though it was an inconsequential game for the visitors, Zambrotta is known to be a strict disciplinarian and asks almost-perfect performances from his players in every game. Kim Kima, meanwhile, has continuously been error-prone and looks like the only liability on the pitch for the Lions. In the defeat against ATK, Kim Kima had committed a poor foul in the box for Hume’s winning penalty.
With his team already qualified for the knockout stages, Kim Kima needs to pull up his socks and ensure his coach of his quality with better performances on the pitch. With a certain Chinglesana Singh Konsham waiting in the wings, it will not be an Einstein-ical decision for Gianluca Zambrotta to make this change.
#2 Marcelinho and Lewis fail to shine
Brazilian forward and Mohun Bagan winger Kean Lewis have been on red-hot form throughout the Hero Indian Super League 2016, having made life difficult for defenders in almost every game they’ve featured. On Wednesday though, this was not the case. One of the most feared attacking lines the league had an off-game, probably due to too much workload.
Playing a game in Delhi on Sunday, travelling to the NorthEast and featuring against a physical can be a taxing job, and it sure was for the Lions. Playing at higher altitudes and under tremendous away supporters’ base, Delhi did not look comfortable on a slightly skiddy pitch, which seemed to have a little more dew on it.
Marcelinho did score the last goal for Delhi Dynamos in injury time, but that was more of a consolation. The player who is known to fly past defenders at will, looked off-color and was also restricted by some terrific defending by Didier Zokora and Robin Gurung. Kean Lewis, too, on the left wing, looked tired and predictable. The lack of creativity from Delhi’s best players in the attacking third killed their game-plans and helped NorthEast to attack as a unit.
#3 Romaric and Rowlin Borges: Best defensive midfield pair in the league
The point is debatable, but if the pair keep playing like they did against the Lions, there will be absolutely no question about this fact. While Rowlin sits just on top of the defence in a role similar to N’Golo Kante, Romaric does the role of his pair Nemanja Matic, burning a lot of grass and feeding balls to his onrushing teammates.
Rowlin, particularly, has impressed a lot in his aggressive and fearless performances on the pitch. In the 57th minute, a deep-lying Rowlin started a series of passes and fed a good-looking ball to Robert Cullen, whose weak shot was easily held on by Antonio Doblas in the Delhi goal. This phase of the game showed that if needed, Rowlin can play the role of the midfield enforcer and has it in him to be creative and dynamic at the same time.
Talking about Romaric, he’s probably the most important player in this NorthEast side. In a team heavily loaded with defensive players and wingers, Romaric is a breather for Nelo Vingada. Playing the role of a midfield enforcer to perfection, the Ivory Coast player has also scored key goals, like the stunning free kick against FC Pune City. If the Highlanders have to cruise to the semi-finals, they would need this pair to be at the top of their game against the Kerala Blasters.
#4 Seityasen Singh and Emiliano Alfaro come to the fore
Delhi Dynamos has easily been one of the most consistent sides in the league, losing just two times this season before this game. In every game, Delhi has looked easily the better side, creating innumerable chances at will. On Wednesday, though, it was probably the first team this season the pattern was broken.
NorthEast United has something which other teams probably don’t. The dedication, persistence to try and the most important facet against high-line defences, breath-taking speed. In Emiliano Alfaro and Seityasen Singh, Nelo Vingada fielded two of his most hard-working players and gave them the freedom to exploit and be adventurous. 90 minutes later, Seityasen had scored the first goal, had bagged the man of the match award, and Vingada was a smiling man.
Alfaro, meanwhile, had played his part to perfection. Keeping the otherwise stable and confident Delhi defence under the leadership of Ruben Gonzalez on its toes for most of the game single-handedly is no mean task, and the Uruguayan performed that to perfection.
On various occasions, it looked as if Alfaro’s off-the-ball runs were making spaces for Seityasen to exploit in the Delhi’s backline. Thus, both the players had a terrific game attacking-wise, and Vingada would be hoping his key men replicate the performances in the next game against Kerala Blasters FC.
#5 For a change, Delhi Dynamos were outplayed
For the first time this season, Gianluca Zambrotta’s men looked like a side bereft of ideas and struggled against arguably the most compact defensive performance this season from any side in the ISL. NorthEast United defended like warriors, not allowing an iota of space to the side which has scored 27 goals already this season, and the all foreign central-defensive backline of Didier Zokora and Mailson Alves looked unbreakable for most of the game.
A lot of factors did affect Delhi’s gameplay, though. Playing their second game in just three days on a higher altitude and under a crazy away support can be a difficult task in leagues which run long, and all these affected the team which is placed second on the league table. Having already qualified for the knockout stages for the second time in two years, the Dynamos were defeated convincing by some speedy counter-attacking game from the Highlanders.
Delhi Dynamos looked jaded, unconvincing, and poor in the attacking third. There were no major chances created from the Delhi side against the Highlanders, and this might frustrate Gianluca Zambrotta a lot. For the first time this season, his team has been completely outplayed by an opposition and were not able to hit them on the break. Zambrotta would expect his team to break off the shackles in the next game and be back to their attacking best, a property which has seen the Lions score 27 goals in 13 games this season.
